1989 Rover - Austin Mini City 1.0 petrol

Summary:

Probably the best car ever made!

Faults:

A new engine and gearbox was needed, starter motor, rear subframe, carb, exhaust, passenger seat broke and the seat belts needed replacing because they were to frayed for its M.O.T.

Mini parts are very easy to come by, there are many specialist magazines around and there is many an old rusty Metro up your local scrappy so parts are very easy to come by.

General Comments:

A fantastic car that will make you smile every time you get in it, but it is a very loud car, it whines when you pull away and down a motorway it is terrible, but it is a 40 year old design!

Can't wait until I get my 1.3 MG Metro Turbo engine so I will be able to thrash any Boy Racer in his Nova!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 11th November, 2002

31st Mar 2003, 09:10

I drive a 'J' Reg Mini City and I love it! Although it's my Mum's car it's a hit with all of my friends.

Good to drive at weekends, other drivers always want to race! Easy to park and easy to get parts...

The best car I've ever driven!

23rd Dec 2005, 17:14

The mini city is a great starter mini as it is very cheap to run and to insure, but loads of mods for the 998cc engines. I love the charm and the way they handle. Plus the looks when you go down the road in a mini.

1989 Rover - Austin Mini City 1.0 petrol

Summary:

The best known car in the world, cheap to run, fantastic fun, great for any age driver!

Faults:

After purchase the car went like a dream, despite the poor body-work carried out over rusty areas.

100% reliability, although after fitting a tuning kit, reliability dropped significantly over the winter months due to misfires, and dropping rpm.

General Comments:

Fantastic handling, sticks like glue.

Great fun to drive in any condition.

'Fun Factor' makes it appealing.

Cheap to run, repair and insure, lowest tax group.

Loads of parts readily available dirt cheap.

Loads of Mini clubs to join and enjoy motoring with.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th April, 2001

1989 Rover - Austin Mini Mayfair 1.0 petrol

Faults:

Oil seals burst, sills rusted, misfires, general bad running despite having 15,000 miles.

General Comments:

The most enjoyable car I've driven, despite it being very temperamental. It's a great car that I'll never sell.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 25th October, 1999

16th Feb 2001, 14:23

This was my review which I wrote about 18 months ago. I have since sold the car and bought a 1993 Vauxhall Nova and I can honestly say it is a MUCH better car than the Mini.

Being honest about it - the Mini is possibly the most flawed car ever and it was kept alive only by rose tinted memories of what it is. Fair enough, it was a good car in the 1960s. but the 90s? No chance.

Fair enough, it does drive well and handle SUPERBLY, but it is slow, uncomfortable, difficult to work on, and as for the engines being unburstable - that is a load of rubbish. Mine had 21,000 miles on the clock and leaked oil permanently.

As for the friendliness between Mini owners, it's not all it cracked up to be. The Mini club I was a member of were not welcoming at all - it was like a clique of people and I and other new members were treated like incomers to their group.

17th Mar 2001, 19:20

I'll go one further. Rose tinted spectacles is what it's all about. That goes for all BLMC "classics" which in reality are rusty, unreliable heaps upon which motoring journalists of the time poured nothing but scorn. I include Sprites, all TRs, Bs, Minors and dog of dogs... the Stag.

2nd May 2001, 15:09

I think the burstable engine thing generally refers to their durability, for eg - have you ever tried to blow an 850 - impossible! They all leak oil, water etc it wouldn't be a mini if it didn't.

1st Nov 2001, 12:25

You can fix the oil leak for only a few pounds. I saw in Mini magazine an oil leak fix kit.

19th Aug 2002, 07:43

I currently have two Mini's both have at some time suffered an oil leak, however the repair only cost me around £20 at a reputable mini garage. So far I've had no more oil leaks!

6th Feb 2007, 14:29

Stop dis respecting the Great Brittish motor industry. I think it's amazing a country the size of this can produce such great cars, look at huge countries like China and Russia; what cars have they made? NONE!!!